1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to refills and, more particularly, to refills for holding volatile materials.
2. Description of the Background
Devices that release vapors into the air are well-known in the art. Generally, the purpose of such devices is to deodorize, disinfect, or add positive fragrance to the ambient air, or to distribute insect repellants or insecticides into the air to kill or repel unwanted pests, such as mosquitoes and gnats.
Various types of devices have been employed to dispense vapors into the air. For example, passive dispensing devices are known, wherein a volatile material in a gel, liquid, or solid form is provided within a container. The volatile material is diffused into the surrounding atmosphere, and the diffusion may be assisted by the natural airflow within the surroundings. A vent may be included in such passive dispensing devices to increase and decrease the amount of volatile material emitted from the passive dispensing devices. Aerosol containers have also been employed to eject droplets of volatile material from a pressurized container into a surrounding atmosphere upon activation of a trigger.
Other devices have utilized mechanical or electrical devices to dispense volatile materials into the atmosphere. In one such device, a container having a porous wick disposed therein in contact with a liquid volatile material and extending out a neck of the container is disposed within a diffusion device. The volatile material travels through the porous wick to an exposed end thereof. The diffusion device may include a heater and/or a fan disposed adjacent the exposed end of the wick to assist in the volatilization and/or dispersion of the liquid volatile material in the wick. Optionally, the container with porous wick and volatile material may be positioned to emit volatile material therefrom without being disposed within a diffusion device.
Containers or refills having wicks in contact with a volatile material generally include a reservoir portion for holding the volatile material and a neck portion that forms an opening in communication with the reservoir portion. A plug assembly is disposed within the neck portion, wherein the plug assembly includes a hole through a central portion thereof for accommodating the wick. If used in combination with a volatile material dispenser, containers and plug assemblies of different refills are generally configured to fit within a particular volatile material dispenser. Such containers and/or plug assemblies may also be configured to retain the refill within the volatile material dispenser. For example, one commercial refill includes a container having a body with front and rear walls having projections extending outwardly therefrom. The projections interact with features in the volatile material dispenser to retain the refill within the volatile material dispenser.